Brace for scaffolds and the like



" April 15, 1958 H. R. SCHEIDEMANTLE BRACE FOR SCAFFOLDS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 4, 195s lM iui" :1 7

IN VEN TOR. HOWARD 1?. JCHEIDEMANTL 5 2,830,856 BRACE FOR SCAFFOLIQS AND THE. LIKE Howard 5 R. Scheider nantle, Harmony,' Pa., assignor to Universal Manufacturing Corporation, .lelienople, ,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 1 Application December4, 1956, Serial No. 626,209

1 Claim (11. 304-40 This invention relates to braces-for metal scalfolds, bleachers and the like, and more particularly to the braces that detachahly connect the legs of the structure being United Statement Directly below each sleeve 3 the lower end of the encircled tube 5 is provided with a vertical slot 7 that extends radially through the side wall of the tube, as shown braced. For the sake of illustration, this invention will be described as applied to metal scafioldsformed from spaced end panels that are connected by removable braces, but it is not limited thereto.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide braces that will automatically lock themselves in position when they are applied, whichare retained in place by gravity-actuatedlockingmembers, and in which the looking mechanism is simple and inexpensive.

According to this invention, the brace hasan elongated body member provided with parallel ends that are in the form of short vertical tubes. These tubes are adapted to i r be inserted down through short vertical sleeves secured to the sides of a pair of spacedvertical legs. The lower end of each tube below the encircling sleeve is provided with a vertical slot that extends radially through the wall of the tube. Loosely disposed in the tube is a latch that has a laterally projecting lower portion. Means are provided for retaining the latch in the tube with its lower portion normally projecting out through the slot in order to hold the tube in the sleeve. The projecting portion of the latch is adapted to be pushed manually into the slot when it is desired to lift the tube from the sleeve. The lower end of the latch and the surface that supports it are formed to guide the latch upward as it is pushed into the tube, so that when the latch is released it will slide down into projecting position again.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a prospective view of a section of a scaffold provided with my braces;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through one end of a brace in locked position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but with the latch pushed in and the tube raised in the sleeve; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectiontaken on the line IV-IV of i bled, the end panels are held upright by means of in-' in Figs. 2,3 and 4. This slot is formed by punching a tongue 8 into the tube, the lower end of the tongue being left connected to the rest of thetube at the lower end of the slot. As the tongue is punched in, it is also'curled downward so that it will extend part way across the inside of the tube. The upper surface of the tongue is inclined from the outside of the tube inward and upward.

Loosely disposed inside of the tube above the tongue is a latch 9 that is formed from a thin bar of metal. The latch extends from tongue 8 upward a considerable distance above the upper end of the slot. The width of the upper end of the latch is nearly as great as the inside and projects a short distance from the tube below the sleeve. However, the width of the latch at its widest point is not so great as to prevent it from being inserted clined side braces B, and, if desired, they may be further 5 braced by horizontal braces (not shown).

In order to detachably connect the ends of the braces to the scaffold legs, short, vertical sleeves 3 are welded to each leg near its upper and lower ends. The braces that are connected to the sleeves may be formed from elongated body members 4 of any desired shape and cross section, but their ends extend downward in parallel relation and are formed from short vertical tubes 5. The

tubes are of a size that will fit in the n the invention may be practiced otherwise than as sper lengthwise in the tube' in order to assemble them. The rear edge 13 of the latch is inclined downwardly from its upper end away from the adjacent surface of the tube and preferably is connected by a curved lower edge 14 with the lower outer corner of the projecting portion- The projecting lower corner of locking portion 12 is curved, so that when the tube is inserted in a sleeve and then lowered, the sleeve will push the locking portion back into the slot to allow the latch to pass through the sleeve. As soon as the projecting portion of the latch clears the lower end of the sleeve, it will slide out of the slot by gravity. This is because the latch is supported by the inclined top of the tongue, with which it makes line contact, although any latch-supporting surface that compels the latch to rise as its projecting portion is pushed into the tube will have the same eifect.

To keep the latch from being pushed into the tube so far that its projecting portion 12 will slip out of the inner end of slot 7, the distance that the latch can be raised in the tube, and therefore the distance that it can be pushed into the tube, is limited by a suitable stop. A simple but effective stop can be formed from a split spring ring 16, which is forced down inside of the tube above the latch to a point where the upper end of the latch will strike it when the projecting portion has been pushed back about flush with the outer surface of the tube, as shown in Fig. 3. 1 7 It will be seen that the locking mechanism describe herein is simple to make and easy to assemble. As the latch operat'esby gravity, no springs are required. Most of the latch is concealed in and protected by the tube that houses it, and the tube requires only one opening (the slot) to be punched into it. There is no pivot pin.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood'that, within the scope of the appended claim,

cifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

A brace for connecting a pair of spaced vertical legs that have short vertical sleeves secured totheir sides, the brace comprising an elongated member having parallel ends in the form of short vertical cylindrical tubes adapted to extend down through such sleeves to connect the brace and sleeves, the lower end of each tube below the encircling sleeve being provided with a vertical slot extend- Patented Apr. 15, 1958' 3 in'g-radially'through the tube wall, a flat bar latch loosely disposed in the tube and having an upright. portion slidably disposed therein above the slot and having a. laterally projecting lower portion normally projecting out through the slot to;v hold the tube in a sl e'eve,- width of the upper end of the latch being substantially as great as the inside diameter of the tube, said upright portion of the latch tapering downward toward said-projecting portion; the projecting portion of the latch being adapted to be pushed manually into the slot when it is desired to lift the tube from the sleeve, the lower end of the latch and the sur- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,067,329 McGufiin Jan. 12, 1937 2,435,171 Weisz Jan. 27, 1948 2,559,469 S'cheidemantle July 3, 1951 

